A retro-styled Italian eatery bringing la dolce vita to Fremantle’s West End.
Stepping into the retro-styled Vin Populi, it’s clear this is a venue that prides itself on light-hearted fun and escapism. Exuberant waiters sashay around elegant tiled tables, “Buonasera’’ rolling off the tongue. Patrons chit-chat over Negronis across the 180-seat space, as classic 60s crooners cry out from the stereo.
A self-confessed “love letter to Italy”, Vin Populi is the third venue by Emma Ferguson and Dan Morris, of Balthazar and No Mafia fame. Helmed by chef Leo Crescenzi, who hails from Lazio, Vin Populi offers bona fide contemporary Italian fare showcasing the best of WA’s local produce. Case in point, a range of simple but exquisitely prepared antipasti: grilled zucchini marinated in olive oil, pepper and salt; juicy portions of local octopus; decadent truffle salame.
A perennial highlight is the tagliatelle osso buco, a wide ribbon pasta dressed in a rich, buttery braise of young beef or veal shanks; an absolute showstopper.
A perennial highlight is the tagliatelle osso buco, a wide ribbon pasta dressed in a rich, buttery braise of young beef or veal shanks; an absolute showstopper. Plenty of tables are reserved for walk-ins, adding to the breezy Fremantle feel, but you can grab a cocktail while you wait – and the excellent people watching comes free.
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